


A New Dress

by LadySheik



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: And also scared, Bad at tagging, Basically they argue, Don't forget scared that's important, F/M, Grammarly is my beta, Inspired by cupsofstardust's fic "clipped wings", It's really good guys go read it, Like did anyone seriously read Jumin's text out of context it's CREEPY AF, MC was really passive in game, Reimagining of the day eight conversation, So now she gets really angry, Takes place in the penthouse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-23 09:37:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18547129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadySheik/pseuds/LadySheik
Summary: Day 8 Jumin's Route: a reimagining of how that scene should have gone.Look I love Jumin but seriously that whole interaction was creepy af and MC was weirdly passive about the whole thing? I rant in the story so I guess I'll stop here.Inspired by cupsofstardusts's fic "clipped wings" which is amazing and you all should go read it.





	A New Dress

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [clipped wings](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17172632) by [cupsofstardust](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cupsofstardust/pseuds/cupsofstardust). 



It's cloudy outside. The television is on, quietly informing MC that thunderstorms are expected throughout the night. She frowns into the darkness. She's tired, and drained, and she still has a party to plan – she just wants to go home. Or at least go back to Rika's apartment. Somewhere where she can be alone.

But Jumin needs her. With Elizabeth the 3rd gone and those awful Choi women hounding his every step, Jumin's world is collapsing in on him. And MC cares for him, far more deeply than she's willing to admit. She has to remind herself that she can't keep sacrificing herself for others. 

Her two urges, to leave and to stay, are still at war with each other when the door opens. MC quickly stands from the couch, a smile on her face as she moves to greet Jumin. He looks exhausted, but the tension in his shoulders relaxes when he sees MC before him. 

“I'm so sorry I came back so late,” he says. “I had to go here and there to publicize the missing ad for Elizabeth the 3rd. I ordered a bottle of wine and invited a chef. He says he'll be here late in the evening.”

“That's very considerate of you.” MC is grateful, but she's still casting about for a good way to broach the topic of her returning to Rika's apartment. She'll just be a phone call away. Surely he'll understand. 

Jumin shrugs off his coat, hanging it on the coat rack by the door, and looks at her with apologetic eyes. “I guess you were locked inside the house by yourself the whole day. I'm so sorry.”

The notion that she was locked in the house hadn't even occurred to her, although in retrospect she realized that it was true – she had been so busy with the party guests and the work for her remote job that she hadn't noticed. Now that it had brought to her attention, she was a little irritated. She wasn't his cat, for God's sake. 

But instead of arguing, MC only blinks and says, “Oh... thank you.” She doesn't say it's okay, because it isn't, but she figures that she can address it later. “I'm sad that you didn't find Elizabeth yet.”

His mouth parts slightly before closing as his brows furrow. “It hurts to see you sad. I've sent out ads everywhere I can, and I said I'll recompense, so it's only a matter of time until someone finds her.” Jumin perks up a bit, as if he just remembered something. “Oh right. I hung a new dress in your closet. I can't let you wear the same clothes two days in a row... If it's okay, will you go change?”

MC sees her chance. “Thank you again... but shouldn't I be going home now?” She can't help but mentally pat herself on the back. A natural segue. Clever work, she has to admit. 

Jumin looks surprised. “Go home...?” He clears his throat. “I guess I didn't make myself clear just now.”

Make himself clear? All the pride she felt at her neat transition drains away, and Jumin's words paint a stroke of fear inside her from chest to stomach. 

“I'm sorry, but I hope you stop thinking about going back home,” he continues, oblivious to the shock creeping across MC's face. “I don't want to force you to stay here. It's only that things are too dangerous outside. Those women might kidnap you. And there's also the possibility that the hacker is after you.”

MC isn't sold on the idea that Glam and Sarah might kidnap her. Sure, they were irritating, but they wouldn't go so far as to commit a crime. But the hacker... between Jumin and his cat and the party, she hadn't even considered that the hacker was still at large. 

“I'll take you home once things are settled, so please bear with me.”

She isn't happy about it, but Jumin is right. No matter how much she trusts Seven, he's still only one man, and he's not there to stop anyone if they target her directly. Jumin's security team is a much safer bet. And it's only three more days until the party. That wasn't so long. MC nods once in agreement. 

Jumin brightens a little. “But first, I think it'll be more efficient to familiarize yourself with this house.... and being with me. What do you think? If Rika's apartment was more comfortable, please tell me what the place looks like. I can decorate the place to look exactly the same. A picture would be better.”

MC is only half listening. Will the hacker still be a threat after the party? She can't stay here forever – and the way Jumin talked about her not leaving frightened her a little. She wasn't sure she wanted to stay here, even if it was the safer option.

“If it's uncomfortable sleeping in my bed, then you can use the bedroom inside. Make yourself at home. You might feel more comfortable if you decorate the place with items you like.”

“Sounds good,” MC says, refocusing on the conversation. Something about the house and another bedroom. At least he wasn't worrying about Elizabeth.

“I knew you'd respect my wishes.” He frowns when he sees MC furrow her brow at his statement. “I just hope you're not trying to comfort me with words.”

MC blinks, totally lost, and is about to tactfully ask him to repeat everything he just said, but Jumin keeps talking. 

“If you want some fresh air and want to go outside, make sure to take me with you. But it won't be necessary to go outside. You can get your hair done and shop for clothes all inside this building. 

“Since we're talking about...” he pauses, looking her up and down. “I realized the moment I first saw you what hairstyle would look best... and the dress and shoes too...”

The stroke of fear she felt earlier begins to spread, morphing into dread and creeping horror. MC finds herself unable to move. Does he realize what he is saying? How it sounds? She's sure it's harmless, and that he means only the best by it, but his words make every bone in her body scream at her to run away.

“I even want to give you a private lesson on tea brewing with you dressed like a princess. Everyone in my family loves to brew tea.”

He's talking about her like she's... like she's a doll. Something to be ordered about and controlled. Like she's a slave.

Like she's not human.

MC breaks out of her trance and takes a few steps back. “That's really very sweet of you, Jumin, but I really think it's best for me to head back to Rika's apartment.” Her mind whirls, coming up with an alternative to staying here. She can't stay here. “Seven will keep an eye on me, and I really don't think Glam and Sarah will present much of an issue.”

He frowns at that. No, not a frown. A scowl. “Please refrain from saying such things. I'm barely keeping myself from getting anxious over you.”

Does he really not understand? MC lets the pleasant face she had been holding drop. “Can't you see that you already are getting anxious over me? I've lived without you my entire life and managed to keep myself alive. I'm not a child, nor some fragile porcelain doll. I can protect myself.”

“I want to protect you from everything...” Jumin's eyes unfocus a little, and for a moment it's like he's not even there, not even looking at her. “But at the same time, I want to leave a mark on you so that everyone knows you're mine. You won't understand how I feel...” He turns away from her, towards the window, and looks out into the storm.

She...

What did he just say?

Oh, God. Her mind is racing. She understands exactly what he's feeling, and she needs to figure out how to dig herself out of this hole she made by trying to be polite. Quickly.

“I do understand,” she says, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. She even puts her smile back on her face, knowing that people can hear whether or not you're smiling. “But what I need you to understand is that I don't belong to you. I'm a human being, not a pet you can keep or an assistant you can order around or a puppet you can manipulate however you please. I am your equal, and I need you to treat me as such. I need you to respect my wishes, okay?”

MC can see his shoulders tense, and she's already taking a step back when he pivots on his foot. His legs are long, so much longer than hers, and he's right in front of her even before her back hits the wall. Jumin's arm is up on the wall to block her in, and her heart is beating thickly in her throat. She breathes in sharply, meeting his grey eyes. They're partially obscured by the dark hair falling into his eyes. She hopes it also obscures the fear in her own.

She wants to close her eyes, but it won't do her any good – it will only be seen as a sign of submission, so she keeps them open as she does her best to keep her breath from hitching.

Jumin looks angry, eyebrows pulled together and crow's feet bunching between his eyes. “I can't understand why you're rejecting me when I'm being so considerate. Can't you be logical right now? I want to protect you so bad. Why do you only want to escape from me?”

Anger starts to seep through her fear. Hasn't he heard a single thing she's said all night? She shoves both hands into his chest, and feels a small spark of satisfaction when he stumbles back a step.

“Not logical?” she says, raising her voice for the first time all night. She can tell he's surprised by the anger coloring her voice from the way his eyes go wide. Like no one had ever raised their voice to him before. 

She doesn't stop. “You're treating me like a child, Jumin! Someone who is incapable of navigating the world around them. But I'm not a child, and I'm not your cat. I'm not trying to escape from you, or to leave you, but the way you're talking is scaring me! Jumin, you say you're trying to protect me, but you're frightening me by doing so. This doesn't feel like protection. This feels like you're trapping me.”

Her eyes close for a minute. She takes a deep breath and lowers her voice. “I care for you, Jumin. Deeply. I'm not going to abandon you. And I know you're upset, but that's not an excuse. You need to calm down and listen to what I'm saying to you. You need to treat me as your equal,” she repeats. “If you can't, I'm going to find somewhere else to stay until we can talk this through like adults.”

Jumin's face is cold. Not even his usual impassive expression, but stony and rock-hard, like he was carved from marble. She can't tell if she's gotten through to him. 

“Fine... alright,” he says, voice quiet. “I will.” There's a pause, and the marble cracks for a moment, revealing a young man who's in over his head in every way imaginable and scared. “But please don't try to run away. The outside world is dangerous... I want to protect you.” This time, when he says it, he sounds earnest, like he's trying to make her understand. They're the same words as before, but they're different this time – it feels like he's speaking to her, rather than at her.

MC allows herself to soften ever so slightly. “I understand that.” And she does, no matter what he might be thinking. She wants to protect him too. But he needs to respect her if any of this is going to work out, and she refuses to settle for anything less. 

Jumin takes a breath, and it shakes the tiniest bit. “As long as you're here... I'll try to be calm. I'll think about my own feelings and my possessiveness. And what is truly best for you.”

Her breath whooshes out, and until that moment, she hadn't realized she was holding it. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.” She's still standing against the wall, watching him. 

“MC...” He pauses. “It'll take time, but I will convince you. If anything is uncomfortable for you, I'll consider adjusting it.”

It's not exactly a prolific apology, but it's a start. “I won't go anywhere right now,” she assures him, less frightened now that he appears to be listening but still unnerved by his proximity, “so please move away from me.”

He goes stiff again as he takes a few steps back, nearly bumping into an end table. “I've blocked a lady's way... my mistake.” And to his credit, he does sound apologetic. 

MC can breathe again. The backs of her eyes burn, but she manages to keep herself together while Jumin is watching her. 

His next words are stiff. “I apologize if I surprised you too much.”

An apology. It's awkward, but it's an apology.

“Thank you.”

MC turns her back to him and walks down the hall to the guest bedroom, legs shaking. The hallway is white and seems longer than it is. She finds the door and lets it swing shut behind her. 

The bed is neatly made, and the furniture is tasteful, but she makes a beeline for the bathroom, bracing her hands on the sink and looking at herself in the mirror. 

Her hair is slightly disheveled, and her eyes are wide and covered in a film of unshed tears. She looks at her hands in an attempt to collect herself, then back at the mirror. She can see that behind her, hanging from a hook on the wall, is a dress with a tasteful skirt and a modest neckline. 

MC bows her head, and she starts to cry.


End file.
